Cybertron
by HURRICANE'Hannah
Summary: "Ironhide, do you miss Cybertron?" "Yes, ah miss Cybertron very much." Just then, the most painful whisper filled his audio receptors. "Would you go back if you could?"


**Pairing(s):** Cannon SarahxWilliam Lennox.  
><strong>Character(s): <strong>Main: Ironhide and Annabelle. Others: Sarah Lennox. Mentions: William Lennox, Jazz, Twins (referring to Sideswipe and Sunstreaker), and and Chromia.  
><strong>Setting:<strong> Post 2007 Movie with slight G1 references. (little over 4 years - acting as ROTF never happened)  
><strong>Warning(s):<strong> Fluffiness between a young child and her battle-harder warrior and an emotional Ironhide. If any of the mentioned bothers you, then please do not read.  
><strong>Words:<strong> 1,329. (Not including Author Notes)  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Transformers and all related characters belong to Hasbro.  
><strong>Inspiration:<strong> The title and plot were inspired by the Transformers 2007 Movie Random Pairing Generator option called _Cybertro_n. Idea came from wanting to do an Ironhide/Annabelle family one-shot.  
><strong>Edit: <strong>_April 10, 2011_. I have decided to start writing fanfiction again and I am going to be re-adding some of my old one-shots back onto this site. This one-shot has only undergone some minor spelling/grammar edits.

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><p>Ironhide was shooting at a pile of scrap metal in the area he had dubbed his makeshift shooting range. He was grateful to Captain William Lennox for allowing him to build one on their large property.<p>

When the sound of someone clapping reached his audios, the weapons specialist quickly spun around. He had been unaware that he had an audience. He had been so absorbed into the destructive and powerful explosions of his targets that signals that were any less than Decepticons were ignored.

To his quick relief, he spotted Sarah Lennox standing on the small hill; the family's old Dodge Caravan they used when he was unavailable, parked behind her.

"I hope I didn't interrupt." She stated as her sea blue eyes twinkled in the late afternoon sunlight.

The Topkick shook his helm. "Not at all."

He retracted his two cannons before walking over to the curly, dirty blonde woman. "Is there something wrong?"

The blonde bit her bottom lip. "Well, I need to go into town to run some errands. It may take a few hours and I know Annabelle will get too restless…"

"Ah will look after her." Ironhide offered. Even though Sarah hadn't asked the question, he knew it was coming.

At first when William and Sarah had asked Ironhide to watch over Annabelle, he had been extremely hesitant. His size compared to the young child made him realize just how fragile of a human she was. He had been scared, not that he would ever admit _that_ out loud, that he would accidently harm her.

However, after the first few times, his fear was washed away by how the young girl's sea blue eyes would light up every time he watched over her. Now, he eagerly accepted the _quality_ time he could have with the girl he loved like his own sparkling.

A wide smile broke out on Sarah's face. "Thank you, Hide. I appreciate it."

"Anytime," Ironhide smiled as well.

Ironhide watched as Sarah got into the van before driving off. The weapons specialist kept his scanners trained on her until she was off the property. His scanners then shifted to the house which was only a short distance away.

With the sound of gears grinding and metal shifting, he transformed and headed for the main house. His scanners were locked on the heat signature of the youngest member of the Lennox family.

When he came up to the house, his scanners showed Annabelle's heat signature on the front porch. The minute he stopped in front of the house, the five-year-old shot from the porch swing, ran down the stairs and stopped a few feet away from him.

He quickly transformed and watched as her eyes widened in astonishment. No matter how many times he transformed in front of her, the girl was always mesmerized.

Once the last piece _clicked_ into place, she ran up to him and threw her arms around his left leg as best as she could. She looked up at him with her big, sea blue eyes and a large grin on her lips.

"I missed you, Hide." The girl stated as her arms tighten the hug on his leg.

The way her eyes held so much sincerity, trust and love for him, while her tone confirmed that she had indeed missed his company, made his spark pulse.

A warm smile broke out on the weapons specialist lip components as he gently cupped the young girl in his hands and lifted her up to his face.

"Ah have missed ya as well." The older Autobot whispered before offlining his optics.

He could feel the child place her warms hands on his cheek plate before he felt her tiny lips on his nose. His spark pulsed even harder and he knew if the Twins found out how much this little human had him wrapped around her finger, he would never hear the end of it.

The weapons specialist proceeded to sit down and lean against the same large oak tree he used during his other quality times with Annabelle. The tree groaned slightly, like it did every time, but once again held up against his weight.

A comfortable silence fell upon them as Ironhide gently cradled the young girl to his chest plates. He could hear her sigh contently as she snuggled into the warmth that radiated from his spark.

Minutes had passed before the silence was broken by a whisper. "Ironhide?"

"Hmm,"

"Do you miss Cybertron?"

Ironhide's royal blue optics snapped down to his charge. She was looking at him with her big, questioning sea blue eyes. He searched deep into her orbs in order to find where this had come from all of a sudden.

"Yes, ah miss Cybertron very much." He admitted with a twinge of sadness lacing his deep, brass voice.

"Oh," He watched her lower her head and snuggle into his chest more.

He saw her bite her lip continuously, like she wanted to say something more but was holding it back for an unknown reason.

"What's on your mind lil' one?" Ironhide asked when it became apparent that she wasn't going to talk on her own.

She open and closed her mouth a few times before looking down defeated. Ironhide was getting worried when no sound came from her. Just when he was about to boot up a scan to use on her for an explanation, the most painful whisper filled his audio receptors.

"Would you go back if you could?"

Time stopped around them and his spark excruciatingly lurched beneath his chest plates. He had never thought of it. Once the AllSpark's power diminished, he knew there was no longer a chance to restore Cybertron.

However now, Annabelle's question was forcing him to think. If by some miracle Cybertron was resorted, would he return to his home world?

It was no secret that he had complained about this planet and its inhabitants'. So the question still haunted his CPU. Could he leave this world and the human race behind?

When his scanners indicated a serious decline in the child's pheromones, he instinctively held her closer to his spark. Not noticing how much the action relaxed her.

If it came down to it, he knew that he could leave Earth and the human race behind without a second thought. However, when he felt cold water drip onto his armor and watched as a few tears slipped from the eyes he loved, he knew the question was no longer _would_ he leave, but _could_ he leave?

He could leave Earth and the human race.

However, could he leave Annabelle behind?

Without a second thought, the Autobot knew that if he ever left Annabelle, he wouldn't be able to live. _She_ was his light that guided him through the dark that veiled his life. _She_ was the one whose smile melted his spark. _She_ was the one who never judged him. _She_ was always there for him. _She_ loved him.

And for the first time since Jazz's death, he found he could not disguise the emotions that cracked his vocal processors "A-Ah couldn't leave yah, Anna."

He saw hope fill her eyes and he suspected that despite the notion that it was mechanically impossible for him to cry, she knew he would be if possible.

"If ah left yah Anna, ah could never fergive mahself." He raised the young girl to his face and spoke a confession that he hadn't dared to say since Chromia's death. "I love ya, Anna."

The smile that broke out on her face and the relief in her eyes was enough to make the large mech shiver. She clung to his face as if she was afraid that he would change his mind and disappear forever.

"I love you too, Hide."

It was then that Ironhide realized that as long as there was a spark in his chest, he would never leave Annabelle. Not even for a Golden Age of Cybertron.

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><p><em>Constructive criticism is appreciated.<br>Fan art is welcomed and loved._


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